Localism, a term many know as encouraging sustainability within their own communities, may seem like a hard feat during the winter months. Often times when we think of eating locally, we think of lush summer outdoor food markets and tend to motor on through the cold winter months buying fruits and vegetables from Down South or from across the pond.

But now, as the cold, weary winter season is approaching us, localism is one thing you may veer away from because you can't seem to find anything that tickles your fancy in the fresh, local food department. Today is the day to shed all your winter worries, as these few facts will help you keep them concept of localism alive during the winter months.

First things first- if you're going to fully commit yourself to going local during the winter; you're going to want to plan ahead. This means, jump on the bandwagon of localism during the summer and grab any and every vegetable you can think of to partake in the art of canning. Canning vegetables and fruits is one of the best ways to minimize your spending during this holiday season. It is ever so easy as buying local fruits and vegetables in the summer, and packing them up with the family during the fall to dive into them during the winter. It really is the cycle of sustainable living coming full circle.

The local food marts are hard to scope out during the winter months. But before you decide to can those vegetables, check out the various local food markets that are ready and willing to serve you. If you're ready to step out of Harlem for the day, check out The Skylight One Hanson Flea Market in Brooklyn. This market is the perfect spot for you to dabble into delicious canned produce vendors create, along with a whole slew of local clothing, antiques and the whole shebang. If you are eager to get out of Manhattan for a few hours and find the perfect local farmers market, check out The Saratoga Farmer's Market. Of course, this market is 3 hours away, but it is a perfect time to dabble into the art of eating locally within the state of New York.

Finally, head on over to your local grocery store and scope out the plethora of fruits and vegetables that are actually in season during the winter months. The easiest way to figure out what is local and what's not is for you is to check out the winter in-season list.

If you are rethinking going local this winter season let me take you back to The Levitch Family. If you don't remember their story, it basically can be summed up as, they decided to eat local for a year. With their last month in progress as we speak, they too are flocking to their nearest grocery store and scoping out only the best winter vegetables, meats, and fruits to make it through to the finish line on December 31st. So if you think eating local is hard for only a few cold months of the year, remember the Levitch Family and you will totally remember to eat locally all year round.

What vegetables do you crave during the winter months?

Melaina is from a small town in Ontario, Canada and as an avid environmentalist with a passion for focusing on healthy living. Having traveled the world and written about it every step of the way, she one day hopes to develop unique environmental educational programs for kids.